Phys.org news tagged with:cropshttp://phys.org/
en-usPhys.org internet news portal provides the latest news on science including: Physics, Nanotechnology, Life Sciences, Space Science, Earth Science, Environment, Health and Medicine.Drones being honed to help farmers grow better cropsFarmers will be using drones in the near future to monitor and improve their crops to help feed a hungry world, say Texas A&M AgriLife Research scientists who are now developing the technology.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-drones-honed-farmers-crops.html
Engineering Thu, 30 Jul 2015 07:00:02 EDTnews357457719Intensive biofuel planting poses risk to human healthThe race to meet carbon-neutral biofuel targets could put human health and food crop production at risk unless it is carefully planned, according to new research.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-intensive-biofuel-poses-human-health.html
Environment Wed, 29 Jul 2015 09:20:38 EDTnews357380428USDA scientist helps Texas sorghum growers reduce water useAs water becomes more precious in the Texas High Plains, more farmers are likely to turn to sorghum because it's more drought tolerant than corn and produces higher yields under moderate to severe drought. With recent droughts and water shortages, many farmers have suffered major losses raising corn. The problem is compounded because the region depends on the Ogallala Aquifer for water, which is being depleted. Many farmers' wells are pumping less water today than in the past.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-usda-scientist-texas-sorghum-growers.html
Other Wed, 29 Jul 2015 05:57:13 EDTnews357368226Image: Why grasshoppers are plaguing Alberta's farmsWestern farmers, particularly those in Alberta, have had a rough summer.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-image-grasshoppers-plaguing-alberta-farms.html
Ecology Tue, 28 Jul 2015 07:10:01 EDTnews357283965Has the green revolution really succeeded?Over the past 50 years, human population has more than doubled, but cereal-crop production has grown even faster. Mechanization, synthetic fertilizers, new high-yield seeds and other advances in intensified agriculture have enabled us not only to keep up, but to actually reduce world hunger, according to a 2014 UN report. 1960s doomsday scenarios of mass starvation have not materialized. Victory may be declared, at least for now–yes?http://phys.org/news/2015-07-green-revolution-succeeded.html
Environment Mon, 20 Jul 2015 09:30:01 EDTnews356600218Break crops combat ryegrass headacheOne of Western Australia's largest ever crop sequencing trials has provided scientists with evidence that break crops can have a significant impact on weed populations in the longer term.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-crops-combat-ryegrass-headache.html
Ecology Wed, 15 Jul 2015 08:50:01 EDTnews356167206Seawater greenhouses to bring life to the desertGreenhouses that will use seawater to grow crops in one of the hottest and driest places on earth will be designed by researchers at Aston University working with industry partners as part of an international project.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-seawater-greenhouses-life.html
Environment Tue, 14 Jul 2015 08:31:22 EDTnews356081469Research shows that genomics can match plant variety to climate stressesA new study led by a Kansas State University geneticist has shown that genomic signatures of adaptation in crop plants can help predict how crop varieties respond to stress from their environments.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-genomics-variety-climate-stresses.html
Biotechnology Thu, 09 Jul 2015 10:27:54 EDTnews355656467Probiotics—for plants: Helpful bacteria promote growth, less fertilizer on cropsJuly 8, 2015- Recent research (and commercials) tell us probiotic products are good for our health, with benefits ranging from improved digestion to managing allergies and colds, Just as humans can benefit from the good bacteria of probiotics, plants can benefit from certain microbes. And that benefit is also good for the environment.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-probioticsfor-bacteria-growth-fertilizer-crops.html
Biotechnology Wed, 08 Jul 2015 13:33:54 EDTnews355581226Scientists study ways to integrate biofuels and food crops on farmsWe ask a lot of the land: feed the world with crops, power the world with bioenergy, retain nutrients so they don't pollute our water and air. To help landscapes answer these high demands, scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory are designing ways to improve—and hopefully optimize—land use.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-scientists-ways-biofuels-food-crops.html
Energy & Green Tech Tue, 07 Jul 2015 17:29:43 EDTnews355508962Cactus scientists offer insights to solve future global agricultural challengesResearchers have provided a new roadmap for tackling future agricultural production issues by using solutions that involve crassulacean acid metabolism (CAM), a specialized type of photosynthesis that enhances the efficiency by which plants use water.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-cactus-scientists-insights-future-global.html
Other Mon, 06 Jul 2015 18:41:44 EDTnews355426897Perennial biofuel crops' water consumption similar to cornConverting large tracts of the Midwest's marginal farming land to perennial biofuel crops carries with it some key unknowns, including how it could affect the balance of water between rainfall, evaporation and movement of soil water to groundwater.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-perennial-biofuel-crops-consumption-similar.html
Environment Mon, 06 Jul 2015 14:40:42 EDTnews355412435Can gene editing provide a solution to global hunger?According to the World Food Program, some 795 million people – one in nine people on earth – don't have enough food to lead a healthy active life. That will only get worse with the next global food crisis, predicted to occur within four years by experts at the recent Third International Conference on Global Warming and Food Security.http://phys.org/news/2015-07-gene-solution-global-hunger.html
Biotechnology Mon, 06 Jul 2015 08:50:04 EDTnews355386937Federal judge rules Maui County ban on GMO crops invalidA federal judge ruled Tuesday that a Maui County ban on the cultivation of genetically engineered crops is pre-empted by federal and state law and invalid.http://phys.org/news/2015-06-federal-maui-county-gmo-crops.html
Biotechnology Tue, 30 Jun 2015 23:23:21 EDTnews354925389Stink bugs have strong taste for ripe fruitThe brown marmorated stink bug has a bad reputation. And for good reason: every summer, this pest attacks crops and invades homes, causing both sizable economic losses and a messy, smelly nuisance—especially in the eastern United States. A new study by entomologists at the University of Maryland shows that these pests, known simply as stink bugs, have a strong preference for ripe fruit. Moreover, stink bugs track their favorite fruits throughout the growing season in an effort to maximize their access to food.http://phys.org/news/2015-06-bugs-strong-ripe-fruit.html
Ecology Mon, 29 Jun 2015 17:14:12 EDTnews354816841Designer wheat fails anti-aphid field test The scientific quest for pest-resistant crops suffered a blow Thursday when disappointed British researchers announced their designer wheat failed to repel aphids in the field.http://phys.org/news/2015-06-wheat-anti-aphid-field.html
Biotechnology Thu, 25 Jun 2015 10:40:15 EDTnews354447600Probe after GM jellyfish-lamb sold as meat in FranceFrench authorities are looking into how a lamb genetically modified with jellyfish protein was sold as meat to an unknown customer, a judicial source told AFP on Tuesday.http://phys.org/news/2015-06-probe-gm-jellyfish-lamb-sold-meat.html
Biotechnology Tue, 23 Jun 2015 07:49:27 EDTnews354264558Video: Research boosts crop yields at home, reduces toxic pesticides worldwideReducing blight, conserving water, controlling invasive pests with natural means – all are vital to improving agriculture practices worldwide to help feed billions of people in the coming decades. http://phys.org/news/2015-06-video-boosts-crop-yields-home.html
Ecology Tue, 16 Jun 2015 08:40:05 EDTnews353658155Researchers discover new enzyme, link to iron in vitamin A synthesisA research team's discovery of new information about how plants synthesize carotenoids, precursors for vitamin A that are essential for plant development and survival, and human health, could help scientists increase the levels of provitamin A in food crops and reduce global vitamin A deficiency.http://phys.org/news/2015-06-enzyme-link-iron-vitamin-synthesis.html
Biochemistry Mon, 15 Jun 2015 14:57:20 EDTnews353599032NASA image: Wheat fires outside of Huaibei, ChinaThe Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA's Terra satellite captured this true-color image of agricultural fires on June 13, 2015. Smoke and actively burning fires (shown with red outlines) are visible in the true-color image.http://phys.org/news/2015-06-nasa-image-wheat-huaibei-china.html
Earth Sciences Mon, 15 Jun 2015 14:32:53 EDTnews353597567Scientists reveal underpinnings of drought tolerance in plantsRegions all over the globe are suffering from severe drought, which threatens crop production worldwide. This is especially worrisome given the need to increase, not just maintain, crop yields to feed the increasing global population. Over the course of evolution, plants have developed mechanisms to adapt to periods of inadequate water, and as any gardener can tell you, some species are better able to handle drought than others.http://phys.org/news/2015-06-scientists-reveal-underpinnings-drought-tolerance.html
Biotechnology Thu, 11 Jun 2015 17:25:14 EDTnews353262306Crop-rotation resistant rootworms have a lot going on in their gutsAfter decades of effort, scientists are finally figuring out how insects develop resistance to environmentally friendly farming practices - such as crop rotation - that are designed to kill them. The researchers say their insights will help develop more sustainable agricultural practices.http://phys.org/news/2015-06-crop-rotation-resistant-rootworms-lot-guts.html
Ecology Tue, 09 Jun 2015 12:30:09 EDTnews353071798Small changes have large benefits for crop breedingResearchers from The University of Western Australia have developed a new method for breeding crops that will improve the potential for long-term, sustainable genetic improvement.http://phys.org/news/2015-06-small-large-benefits-crop.html
Biotechnology Tue, 09 Jun 2015 07:20:04 EDTnews353052582Crop adjustments may lessen climate change's economic effects, economist saysIf countries and farmers make adjustments in what crops they grow and where, then the effects of climate change on the global economy may not be as severe as feared, a Stanford economist says.http://phys.org/news/2015-06-crop-adjustments-lessen-climate-economic.html
Economics & Business Thu, 04 Jun 2015 07:10:01 EDTnews352618636Food or fuel? How about both?In the United States, federal mandates to produce more renewable fuels, especially biofuels, have led to a growing debate: Should fuel or food grow on arable land? Recent research shows farmers can successfully, and sustainably, grow both.http://phys.org/news/2015-05-food-fuel.html
Environment Fri, 29 May 2015 09:00:02 EDTnews352107986'Health cards' to find out the condition of agricultural ecosystemsIn order to provide farmers and anyone else involved in managing agricultural ecosystems with a tool enabling them to assess the impact of their farming practices on the health of their crops and soils, the Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development NEIKER-Tecnalia has created its new TSEAs or 'Agricultural Ecosystem Health Cards'. These handbooks are an improved version of the cards created in the 1980s by the United States Department of Agriculture. The R&D centre is holding various meetings to make these handbooks known to various groups (growers, technicians, scientists and the administration) linked to the agricultural sector and who will receive them free of charge.http://phys.org/news/2015-05-health-cards-condition-agricultural-ecosystems.html
Environment Mon, 25 May 2015 09:10:02 EDTnews351762404Thousands worldwide march against Monsanto and GM cropsThousands of people hit the streets in cities across the world Saturday to protest against the American biotechnology giant Monsanto and its genetically modified crops and pesticides.http://phys.org/news/2015-05-thousands-worldwide-monsanto-gm-crops.html
Biotechnology Sun, 24 May 2015 06:20:21 EDTnews351667214Bodyguards for precious seeds—without chemical maceNaturally occurring, plant-associated bacteria as a crop protection agent are now avail-able for use in crop protection to alleviate the contamination of soil with pesticides—arguably the most environmentally friendly way of plant protection that has been developed to date.http://phys.org/news/2015-05-bodyguards-precious-seedswithout-chemical-mace.html
Biotechnology Tue, 19 May 2015 12:19:40 EDTnews351256773Sheep benefit from grazing spring cropsScientists have used a computer modelling program to determine the benefits of grazing sheep on spring wheat crops instead of pasture.http://phys.org/news/2015-05-sheep-benefit-grazing-crops.html
Ecology Mon, 11 May 2015 09:30:02 EDTnews350554681Food and fuel: A model for bioenergy feedstock/vegetable double-cropping systemsMuch attention has been given to dedicated, perennial bioenergy crops to meet the revised Renewable Fuel Standard mandating production of 36 billion gallons of biofuel by the year 2022. Even so, concern remains over the impending need to convert as much as 30 million acres of U.S. crop land, which would include food crops, to land for perennial energy crops in order to meet that demand.http://phys.org/news/2015-05-food-fuel-bioenergy-feedstockvegetable-double-cropping.html
Biotechnology Fri, 08 May 2015 20:40:30 EDTnews350336417